Sapphire Visions
by Saberpilot
Summary: Five months after the events in Emerald Mirage, the Powerpuff Girls, as well as the prodigal Sister, Jade, suddenly find that they have more problems to deal with as a figure from their past arises... (Chapter Three Up) Please R
1. Different Viewpoints

A/N: Well, hello again! It's been a long ride since _Emerald Mirage _first was written, and now you, dear reader, have the pleasure (I hope) of reading its sequel (I'd rather say companion story, however, since this takes place five months after the close of _EM_, I have to say sequel), _Sapphire Visions. _It's been a long ride since I first started its predecessor and hopefully, you'll come to enjoy this installment just as much as you liked the firststory.

As I've said before, this story takes place five months after _Emerald Mirage_, the first PPG fanfiction I ever wrote. It is not necessary to have read that piece in order to understand _Sapphire Visions_, but it does help somewhat.

In any case, it's been a fun journey, and I hope that you enjoy the continuation!

-_Saberpilot (Whitney)_

P.S.- I do not own the Powerpuff Girls or their likenesses. They are all properties of Cartoon Network.

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_I swear to God almighty, if I hear Professor Chronos go on ONE more time about how interesting Nieztche is, I'm going to start referring to him as 'Demon Lord Chronos'_, Bubbles Utonium thought to herself in the middle of class.

The rest of her classmates in her Philosophy class seemed to be soaking up all of his preachings with the same level of indifference, leading the blonde teen to believe her analysis had not been incorrect.

She tapped her pencil on the desk in boredom, wondering what her sisters were up to. With a mental tendril, she sent a query off to Blossom, only to get a _'Busy'_ in response. Stupid girl must be in AP Chemistry... Bubbles only hoped she wasn't being a know-it-all again and showing off.

Biting her lip, she hesitantly sent out a second tendril to Buttercup, her other sister- or as she liked to be called now, Jade Raven.

Her wayward sister had run away almost eleven years ago and had just recently returned last year. Bubbles herself would not have known her identity if not for the mental dive she'd done into the girl's mind last year.

Her sister, she was certain, was in denial of Jade's true identity. She'd tried many times to convince Blossom of whom Jade really was, but to no avail. The redhead seemed stubbornly obsessed with thinking that Jade was really who she claimed to be- an orphan who had been found on the doorstep of a monestary, and had come to their Institution for a high school education. Bubbles's only explanation for her sister's strange behavior was that she still blamed herself for Buttercup's disappearance and had dismissed Jade right off since she was not as, and she quoted, 'violent' as Buttercup had been.

That, of all things, made Bubbles laugh, because she'd figured out Jade's other little secret- she was also an undercover viligante named Saint Raven who fought crime during the night time hours in Townsville. Not that anyone who was anyone hadn't figured that out right from the bat... but it was still amusing that Blossom had thought of Jade as 'not violent' after she'd found out.

Judy, Jade's roommate, seemed to know everything, but Bubbles had to admit that you learned a lot when you lived with someone- it didn't seem impossible for her to have known before even she. She and Judy had become good friends; ironic, because years ago, she and Judy, also known as Judy Morbucks, had been deadliest of enemies. Now, she just seemed like another student here, no past trace of the Princess present in her smiling form.

The Professor... Bubbles hadn't been certain about her father, although she had a hunch that he knew who Jade really was. She'd been studying up on her psychology lately, and there was one theory that she held onto- that any parent who saw their child after being separated would still know them.

Since he and Diane hadn't said anything, though, that left her and Judy being the only ones who for certain knew Jade's true identity.

And at the moment, that seemed like a very, very good thing. She couldn't have imagined what people would have done if they'd found out Buttercup Utonium was back- they'd have either expected her to just slip back into her old life or ranted at her for not being there when the Powerpuffs had needed her.

And that was something she was certain would have driven Buttercup- Jade- even further away from them already.

It was just then that a mental tendril answered Bubbles' own telepathic projection, and the two connected mid-way to form a line of communication between the two siblings.

_Thank God... Chronos is such a Neizche fan... I don't know how I'm going to survive the rest of the semester with him..._

_Be thankful you're not in my shoes,_ her dark haired sibling retorted mentally. _I think Professor Lodoss wants to make us all feel stupid by only NOW showing us the shortcut to finding derivatives. I swear, I feel like I want to kick her in the shin._ She sent along an accompanying picture of a chibified Jade kicking her teacher in the shins, and Bubbles had to fight to not laugh aloud in class.

_I think it'd be better if you did this..._ she sent back, this time,modifying the picture slightly so that the Professor had her mouth shut with duct tape, the little chibi Jade holding the roll. She felt Jade's mental chuckle and smiled.

_In any case, what are you doing after classes today?_ Bubbles asked her sister. _I was thinking we could maybe take the night off and watch a movie or something._

_A movie?_ she felt a pause in her sister's mind and what felt like a ton of thoughts running through the teen's head. _Holiest Heaven, it's been ages... I think the last one we sat and watched was that one about the guy that eats people's brains..._

_That was Silence of the Lambs'_, Bubbles smiled. _And I still can't believe that movie freaked even Miss Science out._

_Wonders will never cease_, Jade answered, then stopped sending for a moment. Bubbles felt a surge of uncomfortableness as her sister was called on to answer a question, then felt her return a few seconds later.

_I might be up for a movie. Come over to my place and we'll see if Judy wants to as well. Heaven knows SHE could use a break. I want to kill her father some days- why'd he have to go and die like that? She's not even out of school, damn it!_

Bubbles bit her lip in remembrance. Mr. Morbucks had died about a month ago, almostfour monthsafter the scholarship ceremony in which Fuzzy Lumpkins had appeared. She fingered the edge of her scar nervously.

The early death of Judy's father had left his entire empire in her hands... a feat that was more work than it had seemed. Apparently he'd been planning to leave his business in Judy's hands after she had graduated, but the heart disease he'd kept secret from anyone had taken his life in early February, leaving Judy with more than she could handle.

Luckily, she'd found an ally in the convicted Ace Green, who had just been released from perole the week her father had died. She had taken him under her wing- or the vise versa, in fact, and was letting him run all the monetary aspects of her company while she was at school. Her butler took care of scheduling her meeting times that she ABSOLUTELY had to attend, and the rest of Green's underlings were also being utilized for their different areas of expertise.

In fact, Bubbles had to admit she was impressed with the former Gang Green Gang's response to their new situation- all of them had admitted guilt to their relationship to Mojo Jojo, and because of their assistance in taking him down, had been given less than a year in jail and had their business sold out to the stockholders as punishment.

Since then, they'd been quite helpful to Judy, and it was almost uncanny how much more friendly and open Ace seemed now. Bubbles couldn't help but think that since he had confessed, his guilt was that much lessened, resulting in the Ace Green of today. Which was a good thing.

Especially where Judy seemed concerned... if what she heard from Jade was true, the young man had been courting the heiress as though she were the most beautiful princess in the world.

Bubbles smiled. Wonders never did seem to cease.

_Well, I'll stop over at your place later then,_ she told her sister, noticing that Professor Chronos had started to notice the idle look in her eyes, and fearing his rebuttle. _I'll talk to you later._

With that, she severed the temporary connection, snapping back to reality. The teacher glanced at her, obviously about to call her out on her disattention, but smiled instead when he saw her bright and focused blue eyes on him instead.

Nodding, he walked back up to the board and started to write something about an assignment involving Neizche, Aristotle, and a paper due Monday. Bubbles let her head fall onto her desk, upset with her lot in life.

It was going to be one long, long day...

* * *

"Ughh..." Bubbles laid herself out on her bed, her twin buns hitting the pillow before the back of her neck did. "I don't think I can take any more of Neizche, Aristotle, Thespus, or anyone else with a cumbersome name," she complained, Blossom walking in just as she finished her small rant.

"What's wrong with Thespus?" She asked her twin, throwing her schoolbag on her bed and floating over towards her computer, lying on air as she typed away to check her e-mail. She turned her red-haired head towards Bubbles'. "Well?"

"Like I said, anyone with a cumbersome name is on my current hit list," she whined.

Blossom snickered and returned to looking at her computer screen, a new addition thanks to the Professor's latest grant. "Too bad they're all dead."

Bubbles threw her twin a scathing glare. "It's a good thing for you I'm too tired to throw a pillow at your head. Else you'd be next on my list."

"I'm so scared."

"You'd better be. I know where you sleep."

"Idiot."

"Brainiac."

"Dumb Blonde."

"Ditzy Redhead."

The girls continued this exchange for a few minutes, until Bubbles raised a hand weakly in defeat.

"I give, I give! I shall never be as good an insulter as you!"

"Why thank- oh, that was dirty," Blossom said, only taking a moment to realize what kind of 'compliment' Bubbles had decided to give to her. She then laughed, and a bit of color came into her cheeks.

"So," the redhead asked her sister, finishing checking her e-mail and turning in mid-air to face her sister, "what's on the agenda for tonight, sister mine? That is, if we don't get called out again to help the Mayor find his monocle," she groaned, remembering the older man's folly.

"Well," Bubbles said, turning onto her side and blinking up at her sister, "I was thinking we could go out and rent a movie or something." She smiled. "It'd give you, me, Jade, and especially Judy a bit of well-deserved relaxation here."

Blossom stretched her arms and yawned. "I really need to get this lab report done for Chemistry-"

"Fine, fine," Bubbles said, sticking out her tongue but grinning. "I see how it is. Too good to hang out with us, are you?" She pushed herself off the bed, then opened up her bookbag to remove a few choice books and pieces of paper. "Then I guess we'll just have to watch Close Encounters of the Third Kind without a certain scientist there to yell about the discrepancies... I know Jade hasn't seen it, and that's the movie I'd planned on..."

That hit Blossom fair and square, and she knew it. The floating superheroine groaned, then stuck her own tongue out at Bubbles. "You play dirty, you know that?"

"At least I say _'hi'_ instead of _'busy'_ whenever I check on my sister," Bubbles complained. "You left me alone in that room with no one to talk to, having to listen to Chronos go on about Niezche FOREVER..."

"Okay, okay, you made your point," Blossom sighed, smiling as she did so. "I'll go, I'll go." She floated over to her schoolbag and picked out a book as well as a folder. She looked over at Bubbles. "Whose place this time?"

"Oh, Judy's. That way, she can't get out of relaxing, even if she yowls about it."

* * *

"I still don't understand why these numbers aren't crunching," Bubbles overheard as she walked into the unlocked room. She glanced over to where Jade was sitting on her bed, mocking Judy while on the phone by opening and shutting her fingers in thumb in copied conversation.

She glanced to the other side of the room and groaned inwardly. Judy was on the phone, in the middle of burying herself amid a pile of papers, pen and calculator in both her hands. Blossom sighed upon seeing the auburn-haired girl, glancing at Bubbles pointedly.

"Trust me, we'll get her to relax."

"When the sky falls."

"You better watch out then, Chicken Little," Bubbles retorted. Shifting her weight as she walked, she strided over to where Jade was sitting, and leaned her head on the girl's shoulder.

"Bad classes?" Jade asked aloud. She also mentally assured her sister with a 'Don't worry, we'll get her off the phone soon.'

"Horrible. And then SOMEONE couldn't give me a second of their time to talk to me during her Chemistry class-"

Blossom raised a red eyebrow, which then twiched. The girl was not apparently happy with her role as the 'bad guy', and so she sat next to Judy, absentmindedly twirling a pen as the auburn-haired teen continued to yell into the phone.

"-checked the backorder files? What about the files that Daddy had on the market shares?"

Blossom pantomimed a 'Judy', cupping her hands about her face so that the girl would pay attention to what she was mouthing. Judy glanced over, then sighed, as apparently another problem rose on the telephone line. "Well, tell them to ship them overseas if they have to, I don't give a damn! We need those files-"

Bubbles and Jade gave each other a look, then nodded to each other as similar thoughts coincided with the other girl's. With a subtle mental push towards Blossom from Bubbles, the two girls stood up and walked behind Judy, Bubbles getting the auburn's attention while Jade stole the phone out of her hands.

"Hello. Ace?" she started, as Judy suddenly realized what the distraction had been for. "Hey, this is Judy's roommate, Jade." She nodded, a wicked grin on her face. Bubbles began to giggle as Blossom kept Judy from taking the phone back.

"Yeah, I know. She IS working hard, isn't she? Yeah, we need to have a little chat about that. You see, Ace," Jade started, "I'm one of Judy's best friends, as well as her roommate. And as a friend, I have sometimes take drastic measures whenever she's up to something that's not good for her."

Judy's eyes bore into Jade's as the girl continued to chat on the phone.

"Yeah. Uh-huh. Hey, but here's the real kicker, okay, Mr. Green? Not only is Judy good friends with me, but she also happens to be good friends with Bubbles and Blossom Utonium. Maybe you've heard of them... you know, the Powerpuff Girls?"

The silence that followed Jade's comment told the entirety of the room exactly what Ace thought of the comment. After another pause, Jade's voice became sugary sweet. "So it won't be a problem to take her off of her work load for at least a night, will it?" She nodded and winked at Judy. She grinned widely at Judy's angered expression, then replied to Ace once more. "Well thanks, hon! And I'll see you around!" she added, hanging up the phone after a moment.

"I should kill you-" Judy started, pointing her finger at her roommate, only to burst out laughing as the dark-haired teen mocked her, placing her hands on her hips.

"I must take care of my entire company by noon or else I don't get any bon-bons!" Jade twittered, resulting in a pillow being thrown at her by Judy. The redhead cackled with laughter. Bubbles and Blossom glanced at each other with twin grins, and reached for nearby pillows themselves, deciding it was time for a pillow fight.

"I'm going to get you-" Jade growled at her roommate, but was pre-emptively stopped by a pillow in her face from Bubbles. With a mischievious smile, she grabbed some nearby 'ammo' and threw the pillows at the blonde, while Blossom and Judy decked it out with their own weapons of destruction.

The four continued until they laid out on Judy and Jade's beds, breathless. Judy panted for a moment before squealing and throwing a pillow at the smiling Jade, who made a 'hmmph' in response, too out of breath to do anything.

"Well? Is this your idea of getting me to relax?" Judy asked, pushing herself up and staring at the girls.

"It was the general idea, yes," Bubbles winked. When one saw her in the dim light of the dormitory suites, it was hard to tell that she still bore the scars left by the Chemical X burns almost a year or so ago from the fight with Mojo. Blossom turned her head towards Judy.

"So? Are you ready to relax, Miss Morbucks? Or do we have to tie you down until you do?"

"I give!" Judy said, holding up her hands in mock defeat. "I give! I'll relax, okay?" She glanced over at Jade, raising an eyebrow. "Although I think I may have to de-scare Ace- I'm afraid you might have scared him away from me permanently with that warning of yours!"

"I still can't believe you didn't tell him," Bubbles commented off-handedly to Jade. "About your dual identity, I mean." She glanced at the dark-haired teen and raised an eyebrow. _Or Blossom about who you really are._

Jade raised an eyebrow, just as serious in her answer. "It wouldn't have done him any good, and an ace up the sleeve is always better than none- and pardon the pun, if you will," she said aloud, while sending a disgruntled mental message to Bubbles. _I tried to tell her- but she didn't listen. And I would have thought that she was smart enough to figure it out._

_Well she isn'_- Bubbles started, only to see her sister glancing at her with an odd expression. She laughed it off and pulled out the movie she'd been holding in her hand and all but threw it to Jade, who caught it with her hand as she still laid on the bed.

"We," Bubbles ordered Jade, "Are going to watch a movie tonight. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. You need to relax, and now. You may have a company to maintain, but you're still only sixteen years old- you need time for a normal life too!"

"Even Bill Gates takes a holiday every once in a while," Blossom added with a snort.

"Okay," Judy smiled. She looked over at Jade. "What's the agenda for tonight?"

"_Close Encounters of the Third Kind_," Jade winked. "Perfect fodder to get your mind off of stupid paperwork- there's nothing like it in the movie- unless you count the small amount of governmental red tape-"

"Now hold on-" Blossom argued with a rather grim face. "The government would be much more able to cover up any tracks that they created in there-"

The four friends continued to talk as the movie was placed in, leaving Judy to wonder at what she'd been so stressed out about earlier. As the night wore on, each of them found themselves more relaxed than they'd been earlier, and much more at ease. When the late hours of night finally rolled around, the two Powerpuffs left yawning, their minds completely deviated from the 'horrible' classes they'd have to attend in the morning.

Judy grinned as she fell asleep on her bed, glancing over at Jade as she did. The dark-haired teen was passed out, her breathing shallow in depth. She closed her own eyes, praying that dreams would come quickly... dreams of a set of green eyes behind dark shades, as well as thick black hair... Green eyes and hair that belonged to a young man named Ace Green...

* * *

Ace groaned as he went over the papers once more. The numbers STILL weren't adding up for some reason, and he'd be damned if he could figure out why. Sighing, he glanced at the clock nearby.

It was almost three in the morning.

"Damn," he said very clearly, wiping his forehead with his free hand. "Damn it all to-" he paused, then groaned. "This isn't going to help... There's still about forty pages I need to balance..."

He stood up from his computer and stretched. As of late, he'd been taking his work home with him.

All in the name of clearing his name... or so he'd been trying to tell himself. Billy had been telling him that his head had been elsewhere lately; he'd mentioned something about clouds and heartsickness, but Ace had dismissed it as rubbish because of the redhead's limited intelligence.

He removed his shirt, then laid out on his bed, staring out the window as he did so. What did one do whenever a pair of eyes haunted their sleep, no matter how much one tried to push them away with the insistence that the other was still underage and still too young for one so old and... experienced in worldliness as himself?

Not that he was any kind of 'ladies' man', but he'd had a girlfriend or two... neither had meant much to him- the first having been with him when he'd been fourteen and Judy a lowly six... the second at age seventeen. He shuddered. He wanted... to forget about Cindy.

She'd been twenty if she'd been a day, and she had known all the tricks to get him to fall for her. He had been truly, madly, desparately in love, and so had she- at least, he'd believed her to be. Then, the day of truth had come- he'd walked into his apartment and found her on the phone with a friend... while listening, he'd found out that she had been using him- USING him- to get all the gifts that he'd bought for her- nevermind that the 'trinklets' that she called them had been weeks and months of work- dishonest work, yes, but work nonetheless. Diamonds, Jewels, Everything... All for naught.

Ace closed his eyes. He was twenty-four and on parole, something he'd never thought he'd be at this point in his life. Sighing, he rolled over onto his side, his mind confused with the thoughts that spun within it.

* * *

"Yes... yes, that's right," a wilting voice said as it watched both Ace and Judy's dreams. "Dream of each other- dream of a love that you wish you had..." The lips that belonged to the voice curled upward into a devilish grin. He raised an eyebrow, then clicked the viewing glass off with his right hand.

Taking a step back, the evil force smiled as he sat down in his chair, comfortably lounging as he considered his options carefully.

"I have left them alone for a time being... the Powerpuff Girls... maybe it's time to see how well they've grown up, now that little Buttercup has returned." His eyes turned to slits, and he laughed. "And playing with their friend will serve nicely as a first test to their strength."

He snapped his fingers, and a potion of sorts appeared in front of him. After he nodded at the concoction, the viewing glass came to life. The potion slipped -through- the looking glass somehow, leaving its master to smile and bite his lip as it disappeared. Suddenly an idea came to him, and he cackled with glee at his idea.

"I'll send a dummy to watch... to get a personal view at what's happening!" He chuckled. With a nod to his nearby cauldron, some ingredients flew into the air- if one bothered to look, they were similar to another concoction created years ago that had already been defeated numerous times by the Powerpuffs. However, this time, no chemical X was added to the mixture. When the air cleared, the villian nodded towards his pet, and time seemed to fast forward, causing the young boy to age to about fifteen or sixteen.

"Hmm... you'll need some skills and- a family," the creator nodded to himself. After a moment, the boy opened his eyes, his expression empty and devoid of spark. The man nodded to himself, glancing at his handiwork up and down.

"Yes. Yes, that looks about right... But now for a name... a name, a name..." He walked back and forth, then smiled when the choice became clear.

He shivered as he whispered the name to himself, then laughed. "Yes- that's an appropriate name for your job," he smiled, then nodded. After a moment, the boy became clothed, and disappeared, leaving his master behind to watch what his newly instilled puppet would do.

With a cackle, He walked back into the depths of his lair. The next couple of weeks would indeed be interesting... and the finale- beautiful. A multimillionaire company in his hands and the Powerpuffs destroyed... it was all he could have wished for.

And all he would have.

* * *

lets out a long breath WHEW! THAT was a long time in coming. Hope that cleared -some- things up from the last story- although I know more questions have been raised! Never fear, the answers will be clear come the next few chapters- And that's a promise!

As always, please R&R! hugs


	2. Deciphering Arrivals

AN: Well, it's time for chapter two... and it's finally online- ON TIME! WOOT! Classes are going splendiferously, and I am finally confident in the career I've chosen- English Lit Professor- WOOT! :) So, boys and ghouls, I hope that you enjoy this next chapter- Because, as always, I AM!

* * *

Bubbles groaned as she watched Professor Orthallen go over the timeline for the Renaissance for what seemed the upteenth time. Just as he started to go into the specifics of da Vinci's flying machine's applications towards today's major air technology, a knock came at the door. 

Raising an eyebrow, Orthallen stopped in mid-lecture with an "excuse me" and walked to the door. Bubbles glanced at Blossom, then Jade. Orthallen served all three of them as their homeroom and Classical History instructor, seeing as how 'Utonium' and 'Raven' were so close in the alphabet- Judy was in another homeroom, 'Morbucks' barring her from joining her friends.

Orthallen stood at the door, conversing with someone else in the hallway for a moment before returning. When he did, he was followed by two teenage boys, both of whom seemed to be related, their features similarly shaped and honed. They walked side by side, glancing at the class with what appeared to be nervous expressions. The professor cleared his throat, then glanced at the class.

"Students, we have two new classmates for this school year. Boys, introduce yourselves."

"My name's Mitchell," the one on the left, sporting dark brown hair, spoke.

"And I'm Dante," the other smiled, his light brown hair reflecting slightly from the sun's rays through the window.

"The Shonen boys have moved here from Citysville," Orthallen explained to his students. Bubbles glanced over at Blossom, who was trying hard to fight a snicker. She and Blossom had lived in the town for a bit of time... and needless to say, it was not the best place for superheroines. Orthallen saw their glance and raised his eyebrows.

"Since you seem to be so chatty, Blossom, Bubbles," Orthallen said with a sly grin, "Why don't you two show them around? I'm certain that you'll be able to show them around since you obviously already know so much."

"Uh..." Blossom seemed to be at a loss for words, sweating with embarrassment. Bubbles took the suggestment in stride, waving at Dante and Mitchell excitedly. Jade looked as though she was less than thrilled, knowing full well that she would be pulled into showing the boys around.

"So, Mitchell and Dante," Orthallen smiled at the boys, "be sure to follow these two around today- they'll show you about. In the meantime, why don't you take those seats near Jade and Bubbles, and we'll continue where I left off in the lesson."

The two boys nodded, Mitchell more sullenly than Dante. Dante chose his seat next to Jade, while Bubbles found herself to be next to Mitchell. She smiled at the dark-haired boy, who merely nodded back, then turned back to look at Orthallen. She glanced at Blossom, who seemed just as nonplussed at their situation as Bubbles.

Bubbles glanced at Jade, who seemed to have already struck up a mildly quiet conversation with Dante, the light-haired boy smiling, unlike his dark-haired counterpart. The blonde raised an eyebrow and sent a mental comment to her black-haired sister.

_Why did you get the nice one to sit next to you? All I have is Mr. Mopey. And you don't even **-have-** to show them around_, she whined.

Jade didn't answer right away, apparently laughing at something Orthallen had said about da Vinci's artwork pieces. Once she'd finished, she turned and smiled back towards Bubbles, her green eyes lit with what could only be excitement.

_Oh my goodness, Bubbles- you'll never get this -both Dante and Mitchell are martial artists- they've both been practicing for years!_

_Very nice, very nice,_ Bubbles retorted, not happy that Jade was having so much fun while she was stuck with the less-exciting brother. A thought then occured to her, and she pressed a query.

_They're brothers, right? I mean- they'd almost have to be twins to be in the same grade, but they don't look like it-_

_Actually, they're stepbrothers and cousins,_ Jade replied in an instant. _Dante's related to Mitchell through his mother's side- their mothers were sisters- but anyways, when Mitchell's father died, she moved himself and Mitchell to Citysville for a change. When they got there, she met Dante's father- who **-also-** happened to be Mitchell's uncle. Well, they hit it off right away and got married, making these two cousins step-brothers._

_They don't look too happy about being related by marriage as well as blood,_ Bubbles retorted, watching as Mitchell made a face of disgust as Orthallen dragged on.

_Pretty much that's just Mitchell's doing. Dante told me Mitchell has always been cold to him, the entire time he's known him. Like he just hates him for being born. Other than that, they put on a good face for their parents, but..._ Jade seemed to be looking for something to explain the situation with. _They've never really gotten along since Mitchell seems hell-bent on hating Dante._

_That's terrible!_ Bubbles said back, almost forgetting herself and saying the words physically. She regained her composure, then responded, _Dante seems so nice! He's been through so much ...and- and well, he's not bad looking either,_ she commented, mentally pointing at his light brown hair, beautiful green eyes, and pleasant-to-look-at build.

Blossom by this point had known that _-something-_ was obviously going on, seeing Jade's and Bubbles' obvious glances and nods towards one another. She turned her eyes to slits and raised an eyebrow. Glaring at Bubbles, she snorted mentally.

_WHAT are you doing? Don't you know we're in the middle of class?_

_I was just- Dante is-_ Bubbles tried to defend herself, only to feel a mental scolding rising from the back of her redhaired sister's mind. Visibly shirking, she tried to catch Dante's eye as a last-minute save.

Fate seemed to be with her as he caught her eye and gave her a wink. Bubbles felt her cheeks grow warm with pleasure upon seeing the boy's attentions focused on her, then turned even redder whenever he mouthed out 'hi' as a response.

Blossom looked peeved.

It was just as well that Bubbles was not paying attention, as the class bell finally rang, leaving Orthallen to throw up his hands in despair. His students had stayed for another class and still had yet to learn a single thing... much to his agonizing frustration. He gestured towards Bubbles and Blossom, both of whom groaned with the realization that they had 'tour guide' duty for the day. Mitchell followed her as she stood up, placing on his bookbag.

"Well. Where's our next class?" he asked, his voice clipped and curt.

Blossom and Jade were busily talking to Dante, who was smiling and laughing with the two- both seemed to have pink shades underneath their eyes, identifying to Bubbles that her sisters were just as taken with the handsome boy as she was.

"H-huh?" Bubbles asked, glancing at Mitchell with what could only be called a 'snap back to reality'.

"Where's our next class?" Mitchell repeated, appearing serious but not mean. Bubbles smiled at him.

"Mine's right down the hall- let me see your schedule," the blonde smiled. Mitchell pulled out the sheet of paper and placed it on the desk. Bubbles smiled as she ran her finger down and then snapped her finger. She was about to tell him where he was supposed to go when she saw him staring towards the girls and Dante with a mixture of hatred and longing.

"What- what's the matter?" she asked. Mitchell returned to reality, although his ears were a bit pink.

"That- that girl that's standing there with your sister... who is she?"

"Her name's Jade," Bubbles said off-handedly, not seeming to notice the crestfallen expression on his face. She grinned at him. "She's one of the smartest kids in the school- I'd be happy to introduce her to you if you wanted..."

"No, it's not that- I just- she reminded me of someone I used to know..." He shook his head and grinned slightly at Bubbles. "Now you were saying..."

"Oh!" Bubbles smiled, remembering the original question he'd asked. She placed her finger on his schedule and pointed it out. "Room 11-38... wow. You're in Business Mathematics... that's great! I have a friend who's in that section, too. Her name's Judy Morbucks-"

"Morbucks... as in... the millionaire's daughter? The Princess?" His eyes grew wide and he bit his lip. "But-"

"Oh!" Bubbles's eyes widened when she realized that this young man only knew Judy as her past self- the spoiled brat that had been tamed into a courageous and serious young woman. "No-" she laughed. "No, she's not like that anymore. Trust me... I know that you may have had bad things happen because of her before, but she's changed. When you meet her, try and keep an open mind- she's not the girl she used to be."

"11-38?" Mitchell asked once more, glancing at Bubbles as he hefted his bookbag.

"Yep!" She winked at him. "Your schedule says we'll be in the same Philosophy course- Chronos is such a bore- so why don't we meet up in there and have lunch together afterwards?"

"S-sure," Mitchell said with what seemed to be a hesitant nod. With that, he left the room. Bubbles looked over towards her sisters and nodded, seeing that Dante had already exited.

"He's so handsome!" Blossom nearly yelped, her cheeks red. Bubbles had to fight to keep herself from laughing at her science-minded sibling's outburst. "And so intelligent! I'll tell you what-"

"He seems to prefer blondes though," Jade said, glancing at Bubbles. "He asked us about you." Blossom snickered despite herself.

"Professor'll have a fit-"

"Blossom!" Bubbles yelled slightly. "It's- he just asked about me because he probably wanted to know more about the Powerpuffs- not me, specifically." She glanced at Jade, thoughtful. "Although Mitchell did ask about you, Jade..."

"Me?" Jade squeaked, then laughed. "Probably wanted to know if I'd beat him up," she disregarded Bubbles' statement with a wave of the hand. Suddenly she glanced up and bit her teeth together as she saw the clock. "Tripe! I'm late-" she quickly saluted her friends, then ran out of the classroom. Bubbles and Blossom looked at each other for a moment, then followed, racing at Jade's heels.

* * *

"And if you just manage out the E," a classmate was explaining to Judy, who sat and listened attentively in her business class, "then you'll find the interest rate that much faster!" 

"Thank you," Judy said, smiling at her classmate. "I didn't think about it like that-" It was just then that the Professor walked in, along with one or two stragglers, one of which was a boy with dark brown hair that stood by the doorway as though he belonged there.

"Sorry I'm late," the teacher said breathlessly as she worked her way the desk and placed her instructional equipment on it. "I was busy having a word with Professor Chronos about the preliminary plans for thespring dance-" she stopped when she saw the young man still standing by the doorway and laughed.

"I'm sorry, and you are-"

"Mitchell. Mitchell Shonen." The teen didn't seem overly anxious to introduce himself, as he leaned against the doorway with a hand in his pocket.

"Oh! The new student! I saw your brother earlier in the hallway- Dante, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Mitchell said, not looking particularly interested.

"Well, Mr. Shonen, I'd like to formally welcome you to our humble school, and I hope that you'll have a good year with us. Your seat-" she scrambled through a bunch of papers on her desk, then pointed to a desk near the middle of the classroom, "is right over there next to Mr. Believe," she said with a smile.

Mitchell pushed himself off the doorway and made his way to the seat with what seemed like a disgruntled air. After a moment, he sat himself down and nodded towards the teacher, indicating that he was ready to begin.

"Today, class, I'd like to begin with simple interest formulas-" she nodded, then turned around towards the board to start writing when Mitchell interrupted.

"Simple interest? Are you sure?"

"Yes, Mr. Shonen, simple interest," the teacher said, blinking and turning back to the board. "Now as I was saying-"

"Couldn't Miss Morbucks show us how to do that?" he asked, fingering his pen in his right hand as he sat and watched the teacher. His eyes seemed to be abnormally focused on the instructor, as though she was some sort of creature that were about to reach out and strike him.

The small woman turned and looked at the young man. "What exactly are you imply-"

"Nevermind what he's implying," Judy said, standing up. "I'll answer your questions, boy, since you seem to be so interested in me for some reason."

"I'm sorry," Mitchell said, seeming to act disinterested as he itched at his left ear. "Did you say something?"

"I hope you're not looking to start some trouble," Judy said, straightening her shoulders enough to showcase her full height and build, muscular enough to be recognized as her father's child. "Because I came here to learn today, and I really don't feel like playing twenty questions."

"I'm not here to start trouble," Mitchell assured her, placing his palm face down on his desk and staring up at her with a set of nonchalant eyes. "But I am wondering why you of all people are friends with the Powerpuff-"

Judy's eyes grew wide for a moment, then slitted in disbelief. "What the- this is what your attitude's about? My being the Princess?" She punched her desk, then gasped when she gazed around to see her classmates staring at her. A few seemed to gaze at each other, their expressions meaningful enough for her to get the message.

"Miss Morbucks?" the teacher inquired. "Could you- maybe-"

"We'll take this outside," Judy assured the teacher, making her voice sound as calm as possible so that no one suspected just how tight a wire she felt she was walking at the moment. She nodded to Mitchell with what could only be felt as a 'courtly nod', then exited the room, the boy following.

"I can't believe that he brought that up-" one of the students whispered, while another hissed, "I can't believe he's the_first_ to-"

The teacher cleared her throat, and the conversations stopped, the students instead focusing on her teachings as Judy closed the door behind her.

"Okay. Dish it out. Whatever problem you've got with me, I need to hear it here and now," Judy spat, not at all appearing like she normally did, her kind demeanor shattering.

"Look," Mitchell said, raising an eyebrow. "I am a firm believer in that bad apples never go good- you say you've changed, and others have even vouched for that fact on your behalf. However, I'm still not convinced. You ruined more than a few things when I lived in Townsville."

"Which was how long ago?" Judy asked.

"About ten years," Mitchell answered with an acid tone.

"Ten years can change a person," Judy responded, in her mind silently thinking of Buttercup and her change into Jade Raven- she'd returned to the city a completely different person than when she'd left. Over ten years ago, no one would have used the words 'calm', 'collected', or even 'disciplined' to describe Buttercup. Now they were words that described her, even if they were under the aliasof 'Jade Raven'. Judy stared Mitchell down for a moment, then softened a bit.

"Look. I know I'm not not one of your favorite people just based on my previous actions. But could you please, if you have a problem with me, talk to me privately about it? I've worked for ten years- _tenyears_- to try and repay for the crimes I committed."

Mitchell looked unconvinced, but he nodded slightly. "I'll give you a trail. But I'm not letting down my guard just because you say you've changed."

"Fair enough," Judy said, the acid back in her voice, but her exterior staying calm and collected. She crossed her arms. "So. Do we have a truce?"

The brown-haired boy appeared thoughtful for a moment before answering. "I suppose. Until you give me reason to break it." He stared at her with his dark eyes then flicked his chin upwards before turning back towards the classroom.

"And trust me, if you do, I'll make sure that the Powerpuffs won't be there to defend you."

Judy stood back, slightly aghast at his threat as he turned about and headed back into the classroom, his dark hair reflecting slightly against the outside light of the windows. Intaking a deep breath, she followed him in, giving what her father had once called a 'royal smile' to her classmates as she entered and sat down, trying not to be a distraction to her classmates.

She would have to talk to the girls later. She did not like this, not one bit.

* * *

"You like art?" Bubbles asked her new seat mate, which happened to also be one of hte new students, Dante Shonen. She and the rest of the class had been told to scrutinize each other's papers before they turned in their first draft tomorrow. Seeing as how Dante had no paper, he and Bubbles had ended their proofreading of her paper early, and were now talking quietly. 

"Yes, I do," Dante admitted with a wide grin. "That's why your paper on Dali was so intriguing. I haven't read anyone with the particular viewpoint you have on his work before."

"Really?" the blonde asked, her cheeks tinging pink. "I just-" she pushed a lock of wayward hair out of her eyes, "I just thought that it was interesting how no one had commented on the social aspect of his pieces- how no one seemed to put together the fact that perhaps the reason his distortions were there were because of the social frame of his life."

"It's very interesting," the brown-haired teen smiled, raising an eyebrow. "And very... intriguing." He placed his hand on Bubbles' and the teen found herself nervously coughing.

It was then that the schoolbell rang, saving the superheroine from showing just how embarrassed she was by the redness on her cheeks. She sputtered for a moment before gathering her books into her bag, then stopped short once she saw that Dante was waiting for her to get ready.

He swallowed. "I'm- I'm sorry, I- I don't know where I'm supposed to go next.." he said.

"...oh," Bubbles said, placing a hand to her cheek and laughing nervously. She shook off the feeling that crept up her cheeks and took the schedule he offered, looking over it with a nod.

"You'll want to go down the left side of the corridor, then make a right," she said, gesturing towards the doorway. "It'll be the second- no, should be the third door on your right."

Dante smiled at her, then nodded. "Left, then right turn. Third door on right. Think I got it." He turned to go towards the door, then turned about slightly to face Bubbles, gazing into her blue eyes with what could be thought to be penetrating, even to the casual observer.

"Thank you, Miss Utonium," he said, then left the room.

Bubbles almost felt as though her heart would lurch through her stomach, until she steadied herself on a desk and realized she had to get going to her next class.

* * *

Blossom sighed as she walked into her AP Chemistry class. Today would be another dull class where her teacher droned on about the life elements of Carbon and Silicon- something she was _-not-_ looking forward to. She envied Bubbles and Jade their easy course with Nietchze- 

She blinked when she saw a young man standing in the head of the classroom, but sat down. Her classmates were exchanging odd glances with her as well, obviously confused as well.

Once everyone had sat down, the young man- who couldn't have been older than Blossom, she thought to herself, cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry, but the Professor for this class-" the young man looked incredibly nervous for some reason- "has had a death in the family. His wife-"

A few of Blossom's classmates gasped. It was a well-known fact that their teacher had been positively smitten with his wife- on their first class with him, he'd even rought in some of her homemade cookies to share with his class. Even though Strigenoff had been a taskmaster for AP Chem, he'd been kindly as well. For this to happen-

One of Blossom's classmates, a boy named Mike, raised his hand.

"How did- is he okay?"

The entire class turned to face the young man, who appeared extremely uncomfortable with the situation.

"She- she had a bad fall down the stairs," the man said, nervously brushing his extremely-red hair out of his face. "He took her to the hospital this morning, but... apparently the reason she'd fallen was due to a bad heart attack, and..." He cut himself off, looking extremely unhappy with being the one to relay the message.

Blossom intook a sharp breath. Heart attacks were tricky things in themselves, but when they were combined with older age AND a fall down the stairs... well, it sadly became clear why Mrs. Strigenoff had passed on.

"S-so," The young man said, clearing his throat, "From this point on, I will be your teacher. I must say I'm very surprised that Morgan's Institute chose me, after I just came out of my doctorate program, but, I will try and be as good an instructor as Strigenoff was. I hope that I will not let you down."

With a nervous fix of the glasses that perched on his nose, he glanced at the class and gave a half-hearted grin. "Well, now that the news is out of the way, I suppose that we should start on Chemistry-"

Blossom raised her hand, just as he was about to turn away towards the board. Blinking, the young instructor nodded towards her.

"Yes?"

"I was just wondering-" she started, pretty certain he'd forgotten due to nerves, "What is your name?"

The professor blinked, looking uncertain for a moment as to what to do. Blossom inwardly put that away as a note - _unused to social situations_. However, he surprised her by snapping his fingers and grinning.

"Well, it's... fairly obvious that calling me by my last name would be too informal, since it's clear that I'm not that much older than all of you."

A few students coughed. Obviously they'd been thinking the same thing.

"However, it just wouldn't do to call me by my first name since I _am_a doctorate professor."

Blossom nodded. This was indeed, a slight dilemma of etiquitte.

"So..." he glanced downward, then nodded and grinned widely. "Why don't we mix the two? From now on, you may all call me Dr. Dexter- it's a perfect solution to an English dilemma."

_Dr. Dexter.._ Blossom thought to herself, as many of her classmates nodded and grinned. Clearly, they were excited, however disappointed that Strigenoff wasn't coming back, that they were going to have a YOUNG professor for once, and not an old man.

"Now then, let's start on some chemistry, shall we?" Dr. Dexter asked, nodding slightly. "Why don't you all open your textbooks to page 42, third paragraph down. I'd much appreciate it if one of you started reading. Um..." he glanced down at his roster, then nodded towards Blossom.

"If you could start, Miss Utonium."

"S-sure," Blossom said, uncertain of why she was stumbling over her words when looking at the young man. She shook her head slightly and placed herself to her task.

"Although Potassium is one of the key elements in the body's need for natural minerals to consume and utilize, it is also one of the oddest elements for the human body to need, because of its reaction to water-"

* * *

Somewhere in the distance, a smile crept upon a certain demonic-like face as he watched certain events play out. He giggled. He hadn't even _known _about the business with Stirgenoff- he'd have to thank the Fates for that one, at least. It made the entire situation all that more funny- especially since he knew- oh he knew, all right, who that young man was- and why he'd come to Morgan's Institute. Maybe this entire scene could be played out more like one of the ancientComedies he'd seen in his younger years! 

Pushing away a plate of stewed dumplings for the moment, Him cackled with delight. The girls had accepted his little 'addition' with no thought- however... that boy... He cracked his knuckles angrily. For some reason, the memory changeswere going assmoothly as they could have- he was hoping for a little resistance from his pet project, after all. Even though he'd created the child to be his, when he'd placed him on Earth, the child was on a plane of free will- meaning that he could have- _could have_, he reminded himself, broken loose of his chains.

_Unless... _Him started to chuckle. Other things were obviously on the boy's mind. He hadn't even _dreamed _that his little project would be _taken _with one of the Powerpuffs...

Smiling, he played with his feather boa. Soon it would be time to play a few of his cards and start the Comedy that he had cleverly orchestrated. Now that all three girls were here, the time was ripe for him to begin.

"There will be no Virgil for you," he smiled, pulling the dumplings back to him. Him grinned widely. Things were about to get very interesting.

Very interesting _indeed._

* * *

Well. Second chapter done. WHEW Hope you guys like this- I'm doing my best to at least get one or two of these out a month, and classes are kicking my butt as it is. :) In the meantime, please R/R and as always, I love you guys! 

(Btw, kudos to anyone who is actually picking up all the 'easter egg' comments. )


	3. Disconcerting Conversations

A/N: It's March ALREADY? But seriously, folks, time has been flying by because of the amount of papers that being an Eng Lit Major brings to your doorstep. That and the regular demands of being a poor college student. 

In any case, the next chapter is already started on, but may be a while in getting out since April looks to be a hell of a month for me. I hope to get it out, but with at least two out-of-town (as in out of city) trips and a lock-in at my radio station, it will be a busy heck of a month. Hopefully I will get it out, but if not, look for the next chapter in May.

With that said, Enjoy:)

Disclaimer: As always, I do not own any of Gennedy's works, nor anything owned/shown by Cartoon Network.

* * *

Bubbles Utonium sat back in her chair and stared at the computer screen ahead of her. No matter how much she willed it, the paper just wouldn't write itself. Sighing, she grumbled inwardly. Chronos had requested a short two page essay on Plato's Republic, and she really didn't feel like writing it. Maybe it was just the fact that it was actually a nice almost-spring day outside, with the sun starting to fade behind the clouds. 

Or maybe it was the dull subject material. Gah, she hated reading about old men who constantly argued on the nature of justice...

It just made her fall asleep.

Stretching her arms, she glanced outside. Even though it was still daylight, it was obvious that it would soon be evening.

And evening meant crime-fighting.

Stretching her arms again, Bubbles grinned. She could just finish up this work early tomorrow morning before classes... or on her lunch break. Standing up, she reached downwards for her toes, trying to keep herself limber enough so that she wouldn't pull anything if she saw any action tonight.

Once she'd finished her activities, she glanced over at the clock. It was almost six o'clock, but because of the daylight savings time, one could hardly tell from the musky darkness falling outside. Bubbles then looked over at Blossom's bed. The girl hadn't returned after her last class- which, if she remembered correctly, was a lab for AP Chem. Shaking her head, she sighed and tried to reach her sibling through their mental link. She was probably busy with some stupid experiment...

* * *

Blossom laughed at Dexter's joke. She'd stayed after the lab class in order so that she could make certain that she understood the experiment clearly. Even though Professor Strigenoff had been a kindly man, he hadn't been nearly as patient as this young teacher was. 

"And if you double the oxygen here-" he pointed at a chemical formula, "then you'll eventually balance the equation for carmelization on the atomic level. Think you've got it?"

Blossom nodded, glancing over at the young professor. He was smiling at her as she gave him her affirmative, then pointed to the next item.

"Now if we go for a sub-atomic formula, like in this equation-" He turned back to the problem at hand, his head back to the paper as he pointed out different parts to the formula. His red bangs fell in front of his glasses as he gently detailed each part to the problem.

Blossom felt something inside of herself pulsate. Placing her hand on her chest, she realized it was her heart, and winced slightly. What was causing this reaction in her?

Just then she felt a mental tendril grasp towards her. With a slight nod of approval, she felt Bubbles enter her mind.

_Where are you? It's almost six, and I know your lab ends at five o'clock-_

Blossom blinked and shook her head. Dexter, sensing something was wrong as she wasn't paying attention, turned towards her. "Are you okay? Did I skip something?"

"N-no, I'm fine," Blossom said, clearing her throat. "I understood that last part, but could you repeat it?"

"Sure," Dexter said, and he went back to the paper, speaking quietly.

_...wait. You're rather nervous_, Bubbles observed, feeling the nervous tension through her sister's link to her. _Why?_

Blossom tried to look away from Dexter, but was too slow for her blonde haired sibling.

_Oho! So **that's** why you're nervous. Another new student, hmm? I didn't see him in the halls at all- he's a cutie!_ Bubbles exclaimed. _You'll have to introduce me to him at some point. What's his name?_

_...Dexter_, Blossom stated, not bothering to correct her sister on the 'new student' bit. Let her think what she wanted. She wasn't even considering what her sister seemed to be insinuating- he was her instructor, for goodness' sake!

_Dexter. Hmm. Interesting name_, Bubbles commented with a giggle in her mental voice. _In any case, sister dear, do you think you can leave **Dexter **-_, she annunciated his name with a teasing tone of voice, _-and come back to the dorm room? I'm sure Jade is probably more ancy than myself to get out of here and do some crime fighting... she's been complaining about lack of sparring partners lately, and I don't want to be the one she goes against._

Blossom agreed with her there. Jade could get nasty whenever she was denied a good workout for long periods of time... which meant that it was probably time to go so that the teen wouldn't go stir crazy. She cleared her throat. It was at that point that Bubbles waved a mental _toodles_ and left her sister to say her goodbyes.

"Doctor- Doctor Dexter?"

"Yes?" He asked, turning and smiling.

"I- my sister needs me. I mean- I have to go to work now," Blossom said, glancing towards the window. The teacher appeared confused for a minute, trying to reason out what she was saying. After a moment, he looked as though the answer had fallen from the sky onto his head.

"Oh... OH! I'm sorry, I didn't mean for my teaching to keep you from your duties-" he said, standing up and smiling embarrassedly. He walked to the front of the classroom and glanced at his watch. "And I almost skipped mine! I'm glad you reminded me, I have work to do when I get home as well..."

Blossom nodded, taking her work with her. "Thank- thank you Doctor," she said, picking up all that remained of her class work and heading out the door, red hair floating behind her as she walked out.

Once she had gone, Dexter sighed and glanced out the window. Utonium. He'd almost forgotten until Blossom had prompted him about her nightly duties. Shaking his head, he picked up one of the packets he hadn't placed back into his suitcase and skimmed it.

He _had_ to find some way to talk to that Professor Utonium. Maybe, or at least, Dexter was hoping, if he and Utonium put their heads together, they could find a solution. A solution that would save her. Because if he didn't find it soon, Dee Dee'd- she'd-

Swallowing, he placed the packet into his suitcase and closed his eyes before heading out. He didn't want to think about what would happen to his sister if he didn't figure out a solution soon. Time, after all, was _not_ on his side.

And she was the only sibling he had.

* * *

Jade paced the floor in the Utoniums' room, her outfit flying behind her as she walked back and forth. Since the incident with Mojo Jojo, she'd had to find a new outfit, seeing as how the ape had seen fit to destroy it as well as her- although the latter had not been something he'd been unable to forego. 

Instead of her old fighting gi, she now wore something akin to what Brother Mark had worn during some of her testing fights- a buttoned up gi that was dark green with navy trim. It cut off around her middle, leaving the rest of the gi's length to fly behind her like a cape. Underneath the gi she wore a slimming black bodysuit, as well as armored gloves and boots for protection. The only things that were decorational were the headband across her brow (the only thing from her old costume that had survived) and a stone cross around her neck, one of the things she had personally saved from the rubble of the monastery.

Jade had also had to acquire a new staff after the last battle, seeing as how Mojo had taken care of the weapon quite neatly. Instead of the mahogany one she had carried in the past, she now wore one made from rosewood.

Since that event of last year, no one had (that she and Jade knew of) made the connection between Jade Raven the student and Saint Raven, the heroine of the streets, nor the connection that Jade Raven was actually Buttercup Utonium. Bubbles often envied her friend and sister the ability to hide behind a persona; she herself would have _loved_ a day to have been a normal teenager, where no one would bother her to save the city from some random monster. Instead, she was stuck with the same name and persona that she'd had since her 'birth', and would probably have until the day she died.

The blonde heroine finally let out a loud groan of impatience. Besides Blossom's taking so long, Jade's pacing was making her stir-crazy. Jade turned and raised an eyebrow towards her sister.

"She's coming. I'm sure she is. You called her, didn't you?"

Bubbles glared at Jade's assessment of the situation. "Yes. But she was hanging out with some -guy- and is probably taking her sweet old time to get down here because I interrupted her."

"I still think of it as funny that Blossom's even interested in boys. I thought she'd find a microscope more attractive."

"They were talking about Chemistry, from what I could tell," Bubbles told Jade. "Probably what got her hooked on him."

"Ah! A man of science... somehow it doesn't surprise me," Jade smiled. "After all, they say that the first-born child often looks for a partner like their opposite-sex parent.."

"First born? Excuse me, we were born at the same time, _little_ sister," Bubbles said, standing up. She had grown about two inches since last year, and it took only a casual observation to note that Jade was now shorter. Jade smirked.

"Height threats aren't going to work on me," she quietly laughed. "And as for being born at the same time, it doesn't matter. Whether or not we were born the same day, same time, or even _same minute_, she still has first-born syndrome. Some," she teased, "Would call it a desire to lead."

"And some teens," Bubbles said, snorting, "Are getting too close to getting their butt kicke-"

Both of them stopped when they heard the knock at the door. Jade grinned, and gave a victory sign. Blossom flew in the door after Bubbles had given the okay, then threw her stuff onto her bed.

"Well? Are you ready to go _now_?" Bubbles asked the other Utonium.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Quiet, you. I was working on some Chemistry before you called me," Blossom grumbled.

"What kind? Atomic or _body_?" Bubbles snapped slightly. "It's six o'clock already, and there are criminals down in Townsville that we need to take care of! Usually you're the one harping on me for being late- what's come over you?"

Jade stepped away from the two Utoniums, sensing something was passing between them that she didn't want to interfere with. She started to head towards the window to leave, but was caught by Bubbles.

"Don't you think about leaving. We're waiting for Blossom."

Jade crossed her arms and sighed, mumbling something under her breath.

Blossom, whose back was turned from her sister as she was placing schoolwork away, threw her hands in the air and turned about. "What do you want from me? I was just studying Chemistry, like I told you- I needed some help on the formulas, and Doctor Dexter-"

"Wait, wait, wait... _Doctor_ Dexter? That _kid's_ a teacher?" Bubbles blinked.

"Yes, _Doctor_ Dexter," Blossom answered in a huff. "So I'd appreciate if you lay off the anatomy jokes, since it's impossible for him and I to be together. Students dating faculty isn't exactly permissible."

"...that kid's a teacher... I can't believe it," Bubbles said, blinking. "He- I remember- he's so young..." She sat down on the bed and mentally digested this while Jade groaned.

"Look. He's young and not available. Can we please get going? I've got some itching in my knuckles, and no amount of scratching is going to fix the problem," the dark haired teen complained.

Bubbles glanced at Jade, then at Blossom and sighed. She fixed her red-haired sibling a look before standing up and stretching her arms.

"Fine. Let's go, then." She followed Jade to the window, which the gi-wearing teen was already pushing open in agitated impatience. Blossom stared at her sister's back as Jade flew out the window, ready to get out of the school and do some 'hard' night's work. Once the first teen had slipped out, Blossom grabbed Bubbles' hand.

"Listen to me Bubbles. I had- it was a passing thing, okay? He's a teacher, I'm a student. It can't happen."

Bubbles gave her a hard glance, then intook a breath. She nodded.

"So long as it's passing. I can only think of all the things that could go wrong if either of you decided to- if either of you wanted a relationship," Bubbles said. "For one, the quid pro quo policy-" She shook her head. "But I trust you. If you say it's nothing, then I'll believe you."

Blossom nodded and let Bubbles' arm go. There were white marks left behind from her fingertips. Flying out the window, Bubbles tried to clear her head of the thoughts that were running through her mind.

It's obviously _not_ a passing thing if she's this concerned about it. _What I don't understand is... why him? What's so special about this Dexter that is making her act as though she'd been run over by a herd of cattle?_

These were thoughts to ponder as Bubbles caught up to her other sibling, Blossom flying faster so that she could meet the both of them.

* * *

"...three freaking robbers. That's IT!" Jade complained from sitting on the rooftop. They'd bagged their fiends about an hour ago, and the girl was getting ancy. Bubbles groaned as the dark-haired girl performed one of her staff forms, taking the pole she held between her hands and forced it into swinging strikes and blocks. 

"Can't you be thankful for once?" Blossom agreed with her sister. "No criminals means that we're keeping the city decently safe, and we can get a full night's rest for once.

Jade kicked a nearby can off the roof that was in her way of her form. "Maybe. Or maybe I just get this feeling that it's too quiet around here."

"What? Can't handle the excitement of a normal, hum-drum existence?" Bubbles laughed aloud. "Because sometimes that's what this job is. Not every day is like the past year- we've had a few weeks where it's been slow- and that's great! That means that everyone in Townsville is safe from whatever chaos may try and bring upon its citizens. Just look upon this as another training exercise- one in patience!"

"...you're bored too," Jade pointed out. "You don't make speeches unless you're highly interested in what you're saying, or highly bored. And a training exercise in patience, I do not need." She finished her form, jumping into the air and ending in a low heel strike with accompanying staff block.

Bubbles stuck out her tongue at her one-time-sister and grinned slightly. Blossom groaned and stretched.

"If there's going to be nothing happening, maybe we should call it a night. I didn't have to come back early, after all, if this was all that was happening-"

The blonde Utonium sighed and sat back on her haunches. She agreed with Jade on at least one point. It _was_ boring...

* * *

"Yeah, they just left about an hour or so ago," Judy said as she twisted the phone chord around her finger. She glanced over at the pile of paperwork that had just been faxed in earlier today and sighed. "And what I wouldn't give to be with them, sometimes..." 

"Hmm?" Ace asked over the phone. Judy shook her head, even though the action wouldn't be seen by the dark-haired man.

"Oh! Nothing, nothing," Judy said quietly. What was she thinking? She'd never be cut out for that kind of life- fighting evil villains, and the like. Maybe she'd been delusional as a child, but she no longer had those faults in her vision. Superheroism was all well and good, but it was hard work that very often nearly ended in death. She only had to look at the scars on Jade's body for that confirmation. Her roommate said little about the incident of last year, but Judy knew that it still bothered her sometimes.

"I was just thinking how nice it must be for the girls to get away sometimes, you know?" Judy said quietly. She picked up the top sheet and started to file through the monetary terms on the paper. Setting it down, she took a pen and began to fill out the necessary spaces.

Ace didn't say a word for a moment, his own mind obviously taking him somewhere else. The line seemed quiet for a moment, then he cleared his throat.

"You know... you _could_ always get away on your own sometime."

"Hmm?" Judy asked, glancing at the columns of numbers. Satisfied with her work, she signed at the bottom of the page and went onto the next paper.

"I mean, think about it. You're the president of Morbucks Industries- you make the rules. By all accounts, you shouldn't be doing all this work- you should be delegating it to underlings, who'd just run it by you for you to sign."

"The moment I do that is the moment that I let some of Daddy's corrupt advisors try and get ahold of the company's assets again," Judy pointed out, rearranging the phone half sitting on her shoulder. "And I don't want to run into the problems that I had before in cleaning them up."

"Yes," Ace agreed quietly from his end. "But it won't do any good for you to constantly try and overreach yourself to the point that you wear yourself out." There was a pause, and then a hint of a smile could be heard over the phone line. "You _could_ delegate it to some of my old associates. I know that some of the Green Corporation head staff would be more than happy to ally themselves with Morbucks-"

There was a pause on the phone. "Ace... are you suggesting what I think you are?"

"Think about it. If we merged, you'd have more than enough employees to delegate to who have years of experience- I know that my one associate that Snake just hired isn't able to keep busy- he finishes our work in mere minutes. Having him work for your company would at least halve your workload. Plus, he could probably come up with some ways to sharpen up your company's output strategies..."

"Really?" Judy blinked. "But- What about Green's image-"

Ace sighed on the phone. "We messed that up whenever we started to make deals with Mojo. A merge might be just what's in order for both of us. I may no longer be the president, but Arturo and the boys pretty much still answer to me."

"An image re-vamp. Since Daddy's death-" Judy cut herself off and tapped a pen on her workload of papers. She shook her head and tried to slightly change the subject. "This- associate. What did you say his name was?"

"I didn't. But as it stands, he goes by Mandark, I believe."

"Mandark..." Judy said quietly. "Maybe-" she seemed to hesitate. "Do you think that-" She cut herself short yet again, trying to think of how to say this. "Maybe your old business partners from Green would- could get together in a meeting with me or someth-"

"Consider it already done," Ace said in a quiet, soothing voice. "I'll contact them first thing in the morning and have the meeting date for within a week." He smiled over the phone. "It's the least I can do for you after you helping me, princess."

Judy visibly flinched at the pet name he called her. "Don't call me-" she started, her shoulders shaking from withheld rage.

"What- oh my god- I'm sorry, I didn't mean to call you -that-, I just meant it as a compliment and nothing else-" the man hastened to cover his error, then growing embarrassment, quickly. "I mean, I just think of you as royalty because of how stately you are as a young woman-" He stopped, realizing what he'd just admitted and not certain if she'd picked up on it or not. His eyes widened in nervous fear.

"...stately?" Judy asked quietly. Her heart felt like it was beating a thousand miles a minute. An image of dark eyes hidden behind even darker shades played in front of her mind's eye.

"It's- nothing, nothing! Forget I said anything," Ace said quickly. He was _very_ glad this was over a normal audio phone and not a video feed! His face felt like it would scorch off from the heat of embarrassment anytime soon. "I- I have to go and take care of the stuff needed for this- I'll call you tomorrow, bye."

With that, Judy heard the receiver click. Blinking, she raised her hand to her face. Why did it feel like her cheeks were on fire?

Setting both the papers and the pen she'd been playing with down on her desk, Judy glanced out the window. Ace was being a real help lately, and this newest idea... his idea... She shook her head as a daydream of what he would look like with that jacket of his off passed by her mind. Forming her hand into a fist, Judy slammed it against the desk, trying to regain her composure.

_Why_? Why was she developing a crush now, of all times? She could _not_ let this get in the way of her business or schoolwork. He was a young man; she was a teenager- there was no possible way it could work in the first place, and in the second, they were business partners. It was unthinkable and unrealistic.

Judy stood up and stretched, staring over towards Jade's empty mattress. It was just a crush and nothing more. Nothing more at all. She tried to clear her head and focus on her schoolwork that she was still working on. She could get out of this funk if she just thought her way out of it.

E to the second power could be used towards formulas... Formulas could be used to solutions... Ace had thought of a solution to her problem of delegation... He was such a capable young man...

"NO! STOP!" Judy cried, placing both hands on her ears, even though the thoughts had been mental and not aloud. "I am_not_ allowed to fall in love! I have too much to do- a company to run, a degree to earn, and friends to take care of! I will_not_ fall in love! NEVER!"

With her rant out of the way, Judy placed her head on the desk and closed her eyes. She'd lay here for a minute and get some rest before she started to work on her next problem. As her eyelids fell, she could almost see a pair of dark eyes following her as unconsciousness followed. She prayed that they wouldn't haunt her into her dreams...

* * *

Bubbles yawned as she flew into her and Blossom's window, tired from the lack of activity tonight. There hadn't been much crime at all- a good thing, to be sure, but boring. Blossom followed her, hovering until she was above her bed. Without a word to her sister, she closed her eyes and set herself to sleep. 

Jade followed after, looking like she'd just been dragged through a ten-hour-lecture. Setting herself on the floor, she gave a nod to Bubbles and opened the doorway. As she was about to walk out, she stopped short, surprised. At the doorway stood Dante, looking embarrassed.

The teenager raised an eyebrow, glancing back. Bubbles hadn't seen her visitor yet.

"We just got back," Jade said, glancing up and down at the young man. He was holding something behind his back, and it only took one glance with her x-ray vision to see that it was something that had chlorophyll in it. Bubbles turned, hearing Jade's voice. When she saw that Dante was at the door, she blinked, surprised.

"I'll leave you two be," the dark-haired teen said, as Bubbles walked out towards the doorway and closed it behind both herself and Jade. The shorter teen winked at Bubbles before walking down the hallway towards her room.

"D-Dante," Bubbles said, swallowing. Unbiddenly, her cheeks reddened. "I wasn't expecting you-"

"Was that Saint Raven?" Dante asked, following the dark-haired girl's movements with his eyes until he was out of sight. He turned back to Bubbles and shook his head. "Never mind. I just- I wanted to come down and talk to you."

"Talk to me?"

"Well, yeah," Dante said, pulling out the flowers from behind his back. "I mean, to thank you. For helping me out today." He gave them to her with a grin. "I- I hope you don't mind, I found out where your dorm room was from another one of the students-"

"No, that-that's okay," Bubbles said, taking the flowers in her hands and grinning lopsidedly. "That's really nice of you to thank me like this, but you really didn't have to, you know."

"I wanted to," the young man said quietly. "I mean... you really went out of your way today to help myself and my-" he paused and swallowed, "-brother out today." The term 'brother' seemed to have a sad tone towards it.

"No big," Bubbles smiled. She glanced around the hallway, feeling awkward. She glanced back at her door. "Well, I just got in from a night of crime-fighting, so I'm really tired. If you don't mind-?"

"Oh. OH!" Dante said, finally getting it. "Sorry, I didn't even think. I mean, I saw Saint Raven, and it didn't click that you'd been out with her together-" he paused. "Does she go to this school? I mean, the girl that is Saint Raven?"

Bubbles raised an eyebrow. "I really don't have the right to divulge that-"

"Sorry - I forgot. That whole 'superheroine' thing..." Dante said quietly. "I mean, I know that you're a Powerpuff girl, but when I'm talking to you, you seem just like everyone else." He shrugged. "That probably sounds stupid, but..." Glancing behind her towards the door, he shook his head. "Never mind. I just wanted to thank you. You should probably get to bed."

"Yeah," Bubbles agreed, nodding her head and reaching behind her for the knob. "Good night." With that, she gave him a last grin and headed inside. Closing the door, she turned about slightly to see him walking down the corridor. Blossom opened an eye and groaned.

"Who was that?" she asked groggily.

"Dante- the new boy we met today. He wanted to thank me for helping him out today," Bubbles said quietly, glancing down at the flowers in her hands.

Blossom rolled her eyes and physically did so as well, groaning. She harrumphed before closing her eyes again.

"Don't break his heart, okay?"

"What's_that_ supposed to mean?" Bubbles asked, irritated. "He's cute, yes, but there's no way that guys date girls like us, Blossom! And who was it earlier that was flirting with a _teacher_ of all things-"

Blossom sat up and glared at Bubbles. "First off, you've had more than your share of guys who have fawned over you; you just never noticed. Second, I was_not_ flirting with him, and I thought we made that clear earlier." The anger in her ruby eyes was paramount to a kettle boiling over.

The two sisters stood there for a moment, both of them staring at each other with hardened expressions... but both of them were also unable to maintain the angry contact for long. After a moment, Blossom looked to the side.

"I'm sorry. That was uncalled for. I just-"

"No, it's not you. I just-"

Both the sisters stopped for a moment, the stillness growing. Bubbles broke the silence and sighed.

"Look. It's been a stressful day, and maybe everything will just be better in the morning." The blonde sighed and pushed the covers away from her bed, pulling her hair down and changing into her pajamas before she slid underneath their cotton softness. She heard Blossom's shallow breathing, and knew her sister was already out. Pulling her sheets around her head, Bubbles Utonium closed her eyes, ready for the sandman to come and deposit his seeds into her scarred eyes.

* * *

Jade walked into her room to find Judy passed out on her desk. Shaking her head, she gently walked over and lifted the redhead off of her chair and carefully deposited her onto her mattress. Judy hardly made a sound as Jade covered her roommate with a sheet, but finally moved slightly when it was placed upon her, reassuring Jade that the girl was, in fact, still alive. 

Yawning (mostly from the boredom of the night), Jade discarded her outer, then inner gi, only to replace it with a night shirt and bottoms. Within a few minutes, she was also unconscious, just like her friend.

* * *

While the girls were sleeping in their dreamlands, a young man sat on his dorm room floor, watching as what looked like a mirror cleared itself of mist. He swallowed, then gave a head-bob as a face unveiled itself. 

"Sir," he started, looking very nervous. "Sir, I did what you told me to, but I'm not sure it worked-"

"Silence, my poppet," the red-skinned man said as the younger silenced himself with a quick swallow of air. "It doesn't matter what you are sure or not sure of. What matters is that you did what I asked you to."

"Yes, I did," the student answered, bowing his head. "I got close to her all day, then did ask you asked when she returned from her nightly rounds. I put that powder you gave me on top of the flowers, just as you asked-."

"Very good," the high-pitched voice said. "Your ability to follow orders is quite amazing. Maybe once I have started my Horsemen on their journey, I will let you survive the bloodshed and be my personal servant."

"Th-thank you sir, but I-" The young man looked as though he was distracted for a moment. "I mean-" he shook his head. "Thank you."

"Never forget, Dante, that the only reason you have any existence is because I created you. I may not be God, but I was his best loved, and for that reason, you are as close to an actual human as any of His Children has tried to create."

"Yes, Sir," Dante answered, bowing his head. Even as he answered, however, his mind kept wandering away from his orders for some reason. The one the young man conversed with didn't seem to notice.

"Now, the pomegranate seed will take a few days, Poppet, so until then just act as if nothing is out of the ordinary. When it does take effect, let her make the first move- otherwise it will seem unnatural. We don't want more suspicions raised. I already had a great deal of difficulty bending your step-brother's mind to your presence, and I don't want to have to fight him any more."

"I understand," Dante said quietly.

"Very good. Well then, my Poppet, I'll leave you for a few days. Report back in when she has reacted to the powder."

With that, the mist formed onto the mirror once more, leaving the red-skinned man and his image behind. Dante stood up and pocketed the mirror, glancing around. Good. Mitchell was still asleep. It was a good thing that the boy was such a deep sleeper, or he would have been hard pressed to find a place to report in to Him.

With a sigh, Dante walked over to his bed and sat on it, then laid back, placing his arms behind his head. Even though he loved and followed his Creator's orders, he kept getting this feeling as though something was wrong with what he was doing. When he'd given those flowers to Bubbles...

Shaking his head, Dante forced himself onto his side, then closed his eyes. He could worry about it later. Now, it was time for some sleep.

* * *

Mitchell intook a sharp breath. Whatever that- thatthing- that was calling him stepbrother had done, it had put one of the girls in danger. He wished that he could get ahold of Buttercup, somehow. If she came back, he could team up with her like they had when they were kids and finish this trouble off before it became a problem. 

The trouble was, Mitchell was only human, and he was almost certain that Dante wasn't. There was no way he could tackle this creation -without- her, and right now that was causing him some major problems.

Clutching his blanket close to his chest, Mitchell closed his eyes and tried to fight back the tears that almost seemed to automatically come forward.

If only Dante's... master or whatever he was hadn't come and changed his life completely around. Then his name would still be Mitchell Mitchellson, and it might be easier for her to find him... even if, as the rumors had stated, she'd disappeared over eleven years ago. Instead, Mitchell was forced to live a lie, unable to consciously tell anyone about the lie that his life was... even if he had wanted to. Instead, the only way he could go against that red-skinned person's lies was to be a stubborn enemy of Dante.

A set of tears fell down his cheeks, and he quickly brushed them aside. Maybe, if he prayed tonight, God would hear his plea and send him an angel to help him out of this situation.

Closing his eyes, Mitchell prayed to his Father in Heaven, hoping tomorrow would bring better chances for his escape from the fate the smothered him.

* * *

(huffs and puffs) Thankfully I haven't screwed up my brain too much with the concepts of this. Look for more fighting next chapter- this one was written mostly to develop said relationships before stuff begins to get screwy. Like I said, I'll try and get the next chapter out next month, but don't quote me 100 on that. 

Oh, and brownie points to anyone who recognizes where I'm getting a good deal of my material for Him.


End file.
